How to Repair Leather Furniture

The luxurious feel of sliding into a soft leather couch or chair is unmatchable, so when your beloved furniture is torn, don't toss it to the curb. Repairing leather furniture is quick and simple with the right tools. Often, no one can even tell it was ever damaged in the first place. Read on to learn more.

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Instructions

1

Make sure your leather is the type that can be repaired at home. Ninety percent of furniture is made from top coated or protected leather, which luckily, is easy to repair with do-it-yourself kits. This leather is uniform in color and appearance, has an identifiable grain pattern, does not scratch easily and if water is applied the leather does not change color.

2

Clean and prepare the surface of the damaged leather properly before you repair it. Remove any debris from the furniture and wash using a cloth and water with a few drops of dishwashing detergent. Wipe the furniture with clean water, removing all soap residue and let it dry completely. Finish by wiping the area to be repaired with an alcohol wipe to remove any remaining residue.

3

Spread a quality repair compound over the damaged area going about a half inch outside the damage. Dip your finger in water and smooth the compound surface as much as possible. Allow the compound to dry naturally or use a hair dryer for quicker drying. Make sure to keep the dryer on low heat and far enough away from the furniture to avoid cracks in the compound.

4

Smooth the dry compound with an alcohol wipe or 600-grit sandpaper if necessary. Only wipe a few times with the alcohol, more wiping could remove the compound from the area. Again allow the compound to dry and blow off any remaining particles from the sandpaper.

5

Apply the color coating or clear protective coat purchased in your repair kit. The first coat should be very thin and will likely not cover the entire patch. Additional coats will cover the whole repair area and the color will deepen with each application. Make sure coats are thin and let them dry between applications.

6

Use a leather conditioner on the repaired area. Do not use cleaners with ammonia as this will damage the color finish and compound. Allow the conditioner to dry and relax in your newly refurbished leather furniture.